Travel trailer mattresses aren’t often found in your standard mattress, furniture or bedding store, but they are found at trucker and trailer stores. A specialty item, such as a travel trailer mattress and the sheets to go with it, are found at a store specializing in that market.
When you hitch up the travel trailer to get away from it all, there are some things you don’t want to leave behind. The coffee pot is one example, and a good night’s sleep is another. Good travel trailer mattresses are not a luxury, but a necessity. That is especially true after a full day behind the wheel hauling a big travel trailer!
Almost every travel trailer comes with one or more mattresses. But they are not of the highest quality, generally speaking. And sooner or later, you may want to replace or upgrade your travel trailer mattresses.
Safety is the first consideration. All mattresses used in travel trailers must meet Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 302, concerning the flame retardance of materials used in the occupant portions of motor vehicles, including travel trailers. This standard is meant to reduce loss of life due to interior fires. It means you cannot simply turn home mattresses into travel trailer mattresses. You have to buy a specialty mattress.
Fortunately, nearly all of the latest technology that makes sleeping at home more comfortable and refreshing is also available in flame-retardant travel trailer mattresses. No, you won’t find adjustable folding mattresses for your travel trailer. But you will find advanced coil spring designs, latex and memory foam mattresses. The trick is often finding them in the right size.
Travel trailer mattresses must come in more than the standard twin, full, queen, and king sizes. Space and design considerations may account for this discrepancy, or the travel trailer makers may be in cahoots with mattress makers to create an unnecessary specialty market. Specialty items always cost more, and there are fewer vendors from which to choose.
Often it is necessary to have travel trailer mattresses custom made to size. Foam Fabric Bedding is one of several online vendors who can build custom travel trailer mattresses. The company offers foundation base foam in medium and firm support strengths; the latter is especially recommended when the foundation layer must be less than four inches thick for space reasons. A second, 2″ to 3″ layer of visco-elastic memory foam provides comfort and evenly supports the body. Mattress covers are sold separately.
Advanced Comfort of New York is one popular vendor of travel trailer mattress bedding. They’ve been making mattresses since 1971. The company’s products are sold direct and through retail outlets in ten states. Advanced Comfort’s Dormia line of mattresses is designed specifically for RV and travel trailer use. Unlike some paper-thin foam mattresses that are standard equipment, the Dormia family includes solid, 100-pound, 8-inch thick models like the Versailles visco-elastic memory foam model. It lists for around $500 in the twin size and $700 in full size.
More economical travel trailer mattresses are available from Excel Distributors. The inner-spring mattresses in the Emperor model have Bonnell springs topped by a visco-elastic memory foam layer and a quilted top. Prices range from $289 to $379 in sizes 34″ x 74″ to 60″ x 79″.
While we’re on the subject of travel trailer mattresses, let’s not forget sheets. You don’t have to sleep on coarse, scratchy college-type sheets. Advanced Comfort and other vendors sell luxurious, 350-thread count cotton sheets in sizes made for travel trailer mattresses.
Fire retardance, the right size, and comfort are the three equally indispensable ingredients of the right travel trailer mattresses and bedding. Although it’s a specialty market, you should have no trouble finding the right combination at the right price.